No surprise
by dolly shoes
Summary: Nate watches as Blair and Chuck dance around eachother and attempt to reconcile. How long can he stay bitter? BC Oneshot.


A/N: I've got my exams next week and I'm practically tearing my hair out with worry but somehow, through all my revision, I've found the time to write a fic... strange. I think I'm obsessed.

Disclaimer: I own nothing, though I wish I did.

No surprise.

It was no surprise to Nate when he saw them walking through central park together. He'd turned on his ankle while running, without the Captain as he was of course still in rehab, and was sat on the concrete rubbing it whilst wincing at the shooting pain. He'd looked around and his gaze had passed right over them before snapping back with a jolt of recognition.

Blair looked sad, he reflected, as she stared intently at Chuck's face. Chuck was taking a drag on a joint, looking conflicted. His ex-best fried shrugged and walked away from the brunette who watched after him. He did not miss the longing in her eyes.

It was no surprise because he knew, he just _knew_, that those two wouldn't be able to keep away from each other for very long. They were one and the same.

* * *

At the rehearsal dinner for the Bass/Van der Woodsen wedding, he watched jealously as they exchanged meaningful looks across the room. Later he accidentally walked in on a heated argument between them, and had almost been suffocated by the tension in the back room they'd retreated to. He'd spluttered an apology but was frozen to the spot as Blair shot him a death glare and Chuck turned away, rubbing a hand through his dark, tussled hair anxiously.

'Did you want something?' Blair spat to him, her voice heavy with venom. He'd shaken his head and bolted from the room like a puppy with its tail between its legs. For a moment he felt sorry for Chuck for having to deal with _that_ but then he remembered he'd hated Chuck.

A few minutes later Blair had stormed out of the same room with tears in her doe eyes.

* * *

When the rumors that the ex Mrs. Bass's body had been pulled from her bath tub in Italy started flying, no one could find Chuck. Something horrible writhed in his chest when he thought about Chuck, so he went searching. Chuck couldn't be found in his suite, at the Palace bar, at Victrola, or even at one his favorite drinking spots.

Honestly, he wasn't all that surprised when he received photos from Gossip Girl of Blair leading Chuck by the hand to the entrance of her building, worry etched into her beautiful features.

He was surprised, however, at the relief he felt that Chuck had been found.

He still hated Chuck, he was sure of it. He hadn't forgiven him, he was sure...

* * *

He wasn't sure if they were together or not. It was hard to tell. He watched them closely as they passed by each other in the courtyard. The smirk Chuck gave her could be given to any girl, and the way her face lit up at the sight of Chuck could've been in his imagination.

They were so secretive, there was no way to be sure, but there was a nagging in the back of his mind telling him "of course they are, you know they are..." and thoughts of them together kept him up at night. It tortured him and he just _needed to know_.

Friends or more?

He wasn't surprised to find that they were much more than friends indeed. Because he'd known all along, really, he'd just been denying what was right in front of him. But at least he had confirmation now, after he'd gone upstairs away from Eleanor's dinner party in search of a vacant bathroom and heard a high-pitched giggle escape through Blair's bedroom door. He'd pushed it open every so slightly to be greeted by the sigh of them falling onto her bed together.

* * *

A few days after he saw them at the dinner party, he found the couple on his doorstep. Blair looked determined, her jaw set and her lips pursed while Chuck looked as though he was wishing he was anywhere, _anywhere_ but here right now. With a guarded expression and a cold tone he'd allowed them in. They sat on his couch, a little too close and he waited expectantly for the reason they'd dare violate his demands that they leave him alone.

'Chuck and I are together,' she'd told him bluntly, breaking the awkward silence. Chuck had suddenly found his shoes the most interesting thing in the world. 'We wanted to tell you before we went public.'

He wanted to scream, shout and throw a tantrum. He also wanted to punch Chuck, hard, _very_ hard. But none of that would change a thing. They were together now and it wasn't surprising. It was just how it was, and he could do nothing.

* * *

He wanted to hate them, he really did. But in the end, it was somehow just easier to forgive and move on. He'd missed Chuck and he was hurting himself by keeping his oldest friend at arm's length.

He never thought he'd say it but Chuck and Blair were perfect for each other. Chuck made Blair glow with happiness and there was obviously something about Blair that had Chuck intrigued because she had captivated and held down the heart of the UES's most notorious player. Chuck seemed to thrive of the witty banter that played between him and Blair, and Blair was a lot less uptight when Chuck was around.

They were so alike that they grinded on each other's nerves to no end, which usually resulted in a lot of fights that would always end the same: pussy-whipped Chuck crawling back with an apology and Blair immediately accepting and pulling her boyfriend into the nearest closest or limo or hotel room.

* * *

When they did argue, it was rather amusing as long as he didn't get in the crossfire. 'I wouldn't touch you with a ten-foot pole, you creep!'

'Please, I'll give you till midnight. You'll be begging for it.'

'You're the most disgusting pig I have ever met!'

'If I'm not getting it off you then fine, there are plenty of other sluts round here.'

'Go near one and I swear I will castrate you!'

* * *

He always thought he'd be the groom at Blair Waldorf's wedding; instead he was the best man. And that was okay. Because as he watched Chuck twirl Blair round the dance floor, holding her like a glass doll, he could see happiness radiate from her giant smile.

Blair Waldorf was happy, and though it may not be with him, that made him happy. God knows she deserves it.

Oh wait, it wasn't Blair Waldorf who was happy: it was Blair Bass. Damn, he would have to get used to that.


End file.
